Hi!  I’m Sarah, and thanks for visiting O-HI-30!  As the blog name suggests, I’m 30 years old and live in Columbus, Ohio.  O-HI-30 is about embracing the present and learning to enjoy all of life’s pleasures.  For me, that looks a little like this:

Food:  I could have written an entire blog on the subject alone.  Put simply, I love food.  There is nothing I enjoy more than a cozy gastropub (the “it” word right now) complete with a glass of cabernet and fresh-cut fries.  I also enjoy cooking, and learned everything I know from my mother, the best day-to-day cook I know.  I have a mega sweet tooth, which is balanced out by my love of good-for-you, REAL, food.  For me, food is not only a source of fuel (although that’s important) – it’s a source of satisfaction and contentment.  Needless to say, you’ll see a lot of it here, in all its glory.

Fitness:  The good news is, I love fitness almost as much as I love food.  Never having been one to play sports as a child, I discovered exercise in college and have never looked back.  Today, I’m a two-time triathlete (working on #’s three and four this summer!), spin instructor, three-time half-marathoner (although it’s been since 2009), reluctant yogie, and, most recently, kettle-bell and push-up doer (I started seeing a personal trainer).  For me, exercise is a “get to” – not a “have to”.

Friends:  I arrived in Columbus in the fall of 2002 as a freshman at Ohio State and have been here ever since.  I made a number of lifelong friends in my 4+ years as a Buckeye, and I’m lucky that many of those friends stayed put in Columbus after graduation.  My mid-twenties were packed with weekend nights spent socializing with lots of friends at our favorite bars, taking lemon drops and dancing the night away. Most recently, I’ve had to adjust to the changes that come with being 30 in the Midwest – friends getting married, having babies, settling down – not closing down the bar.  I’ve worked hard to expand my inner circle and have made some new – and fabulous – friends in the past year.  Make new friends, but keep the old – wise words from the Girl Scouts, indeed.

Family:  Although my parents are in Cleveland and my brother (“D” as I call him) in NYC, mine family is small and unusually close – there isn’t much we don’t share!  With just the four of us, the dinner table is animated and lively, and it’s not atypical to find us discussing the merits of gun control and my latest date – all in the same breath.  I’m also blessed to have a “second mother” here in Columbus, a very strong and steady presence in my life.

Funding:  I’ve yet to mention what i do for a living.  Funny, huh?  I currently work in sales for a scale company that you probably haven’t heard of (I hadn’t until I interviewed with them).  I spend my days thinking about the grocery industry, which isn’t so bad (see first “F” above).  Before my current position, I worked in marketing for five years – a welcome departure from my undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering.  I recently became a Buckeye for the second time and completed my MBA after 2.5 years of night classes.  It was long, grueling, and some of the most fun I’ve had in a long time.

Felines:  Did I forget to mention that my family is full of “weird cat people”?  We all LOVE cats, and mine is especially awesome.  Her name is Susan.  ‘Nuf Said.

Fellas:  And, finally, the fellas.  I’ve been single (and fabulous!) the majority of my 30 years on this earth.  What can I say – I “just haven’t met him yet”, and I’d rather spend time with friends or my couch than with someone I’m just lukewarm about.  Don’t get me wrong – I get lonely sometimes too. But that’s what O-HI-30 is all about – learning to appreciate all of life’s adventures, instead of putting so much stock into just one “F”.  But believe me – the fellas are certainly a fun – and funny – part of my “O-HI-3o” life, and they’ll make plenty of appearances in this space!